I'm looking at putting together a RM Commando uniform.
I have a '49 BD bottom (I'm awaiting a used repro from the US but don't want to damage it in play). I have an unbadged BD top (repro).
I have a comforter and a green beret (Sof special) fitted with a Kings Cross RM badge (cost R20 locally).
I have a brand new Jerkin and a well used one both late '50s.
I have some unblanco'ed webbing. The two sten type pouches, belt and cross over straps and enclosed bottle carrier. A P37 pistol holster for my M1911, with a "belt" lanyard.
At present I have an ex SA army scarf for the face veil, this is the plain brown but I see on EBairsoft they have a camo'ed one that looks fairly close to the WWII one.
I have some Belgan blanco'ed gaiters. I will play in SA army gaiters to save these.
A period Bergen.
My questions are:
1) What badges do I need for the BD jacket. The "tombstone" combined ops badges and some 45/47 royal marine badges? Did they also wear the commando flashes?
2) What boots should I wear. I don't want to wear my ammo boots as they are hard and expensive to replace here. I was thinking of dyeing some ex SA army high brown boots black (the gaiters will cover the top part). Or did the commando officers wear brown "ammo boots" as per the rest of the army. The reason I ask is that I have some post war SA army boots, they are a dead ringer for the British officer boots except with rubber soles. They are in the center in the below pic. One side is normal old 70 to 90 SA army boots and other side WWII ammo boots
3) Did the officer's wear the tie and shirt as per the rest of the army in combat?
RM commando wore a tombstone patch but dont sweat it they frequnetly wore nothing insignia wise.
Officers wore brown boots (they could if they wished wear black ones in the field), officers in rifle regiments wore black as well.
Shirt and tie should be worn, whether it always was is hard to tell from photographs but in many it is worn...
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
